The first generation started in 1996 with the release of Pokémon Red & Green in Japan. The games were spearheaded by Satoshi Tajiri in Game Freak, first conceptualised as Capsule Monsters, before eventually becoming the Pocket Monsters, and then Pokémon, series that was released. On the idea of Shigeru Miyamoto, the games were split up into two to promote the trading and battling aspects of the game.

Following the release of the games in Japan, the popularity gradually increased and when released in the west in 1998, the Pokémon games became a full phenomenon. With 151 Pokémon, 165 moves and the two games to contend with, the games took off and many spin-off titles were released.

Pokémon Red & Blue, or Red & Green in Japan, were the first Pokémon games and had you play through the Kanto region as a new trainer collecting the 8 gym badges, defeating the Pokémon League and thwarting Team Rocket's attempts to steal people's Pokémon. These are the games that set the mechanics for the entire series.

Pokémon Yellow, known in Japan as Pokémon Pikachu, was the first enhanced version of the Pokémon games. While mechanically it was identical to Pokémon Red & Blue, it introduced a few elements that were in the Pokémon TV show, most notably Pikachu following you in the game and a Team Rocket pair who have a Meowth. It also had some minor features including the Surfing Pikachu mini-game.

With Pokémon having been out for a while, a new project was created for the 64DD which then became the game, Pokémon Stadium on the Nintendo 64. This game was only released in Japan and had only 42 of the 151 Pokémon usable within it, and it connected with your GameBoy games using the Nintendo 64 Transfer Pak.. The opponents in the game were teams based on the teams of various Pokémon Championships participants from 1997 and 1998. It also allowed for you to play your Pokémon games on the television.

Following the response to the first Pokémon Stadium, Pokémon Stadium 2, known in the west as Pokémon Stadium, was released. This game allowed for use of all 151 Pokémon, and featured a variety of extra features including a Gym Leader Castle and even various multiplayer mini-games to play. It also allowed for playing your main games on the television.

Hey You, Pikachu!, was a Nintendo 64 game that utilised a unique peripheral, the special Nintendo 64 Microphone. Using this periperal, you could talk to Pikachu in the game to get it to do a variety of commands. Your goal is to raise the Pikachu with one of three different things to do each day to collect items and boost Pikachu's morale. It was never released in Europe.

Pokémon Pinball was a unique game on the GameBoy Color. This game had you play through one of two boards, a Red Board and a Blue Board in order to hunt down and capture all 151 Pokémon. This was done by changing the board's location and then collecting enough symbols to activate the capture. This game's cartridge came with a built-in rumble pack which caused the game to vibrate at various moments.

Pokémon Puzzle League was released right at the end of the first generation in North America. This game, unreleased in Japan, was based on the Pokémon anime and had you play as Ash and play the classic Panel de Pon style puzzle game to defeat the various Gym Leaders and Elite Four. It had a multiplayer mode and a unique version of Panel de Pon, the 3D Puzzles. It also features missions to complete.

Pokémon Snap is a game that was released on the Nintendo 64 that was a pseudo-anime tie-in. In this game, you play as Todd Snap, a photographer who has been called to Pokémon Island by Professor Oak to capture photographs of various Pokémon for Professor Oak's report. There are seven stages and 63 Pokémon to be found in the game.

Pokémon Trading Card Game was a unique RPG based on the actual Pokémon Trading Card Game. In this game, you had to collect various cards to create decks to play against various other players. You had to go through and defeat the 8 Club Masters, before gaining access to the four Grand Masters. It also featured multiplayer to trade and duel with friends.

The Indigo League:
Join Ash Ketchum as he leaves his home town of Pallet in order to start his Pokémon Journey and to beat his rival Gary. When he gets his first Pokémon Pikachu he starts collecting more Pokémon; Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Butterfree, Pidgeotto, Charizard and many more. With the guidance of the Pewter Gym Leader Brock and Cerulean Gym Leader Misty, Ash gets all 8 badges with the help of his Pokémon friends and partakes in the Pokémon League, thwarted by Team Rocket at every turn. Meeting a new friend whilst Battling, Richie. Ash loses Richie and gets placed in the Top 16 on the Indigo League!

The Orange League:
After his loss in the Pokémon League, Ash, Brock and Misty head to the Orange Islands to run an errand for Professor Oak...to get the GS Ball and bring it back. Brock decides to stay with Professor Ivy, the Professor who discovered the GS Ball. Ash & Misty then meet a guy called Tracey, A Pokémon Watcher. With Tracey's help Ash catches a Baby Lapras who helps ferry him around the islands. Ash partakes in the 4 Pokémon Gyms in the Orange Islands and ends up beating the Orange League Champion and getting a Trophy proving it. Ash then heads back to Pallet Town to give Professor Oak the GS Ball only to be met by Brock who had some unpleasent business on Valencia Island. Tracey decides to stay with Professor Oak to help research